Presentation repeated illusion fracking is safe

Residents at a recent Fenner Town Board meeting wanted a moratorium on shale gas extraction. What they got instead was a presentation on hydrofracking given by someone from a ''large international firm.''

He said ''mineral oil is used to lubricate the drill,'' radiation exposure was likened to having a ''granite countertop in your kitchen'' and there would be ''full-time monitoring by the DEC at every drilling site.'' Also, a ''low likelihood of fracking here.'' As residents were not allowed to ask questions, this deceptive information advanced the illusion that hydrofracking is safe.

Mineral oil is what you find in drug stores. What's used to lubricate the flow of fracking fluids down in the well is 2-butoxyethanol (2-BE), which can cause adrenal tumors.

Most granite countertops aren't high in radioactivity, but when they are, people rip them out. Exposure to radioactivity can cause cancer. As water filtration systems are not sufficient to remove the radioactive materials in the cuttings, flowback fluid and production brine (the byproduct of hydrofracking) how will we protect our families?

The speaker assures us they likely will not frack here. However, if this is so, why are so many farms leased to the gas industry?

With only 17 gas well inspectors, how will the Department of Environmental Conservation be able to monitor and regulate compliance by the gas industry, which has routinely shown to put profits above any cost to people's health or the environment?

Does the town board believe the illusion or will it protect residents by enacting a moratorium?